Trees or shrubs with usually white latex. Leavessimple, alternate, sometimes in two rows, rarely opposite, often crowded at twig tip, margin almost always entire; leaves with T-hairs or glabrous, giving lower leaf surface a silvery to golden shine. Stipules often present. Inflorescences usually glomerulate, axillary or cauliflorous. Flowers radially symmetric, bisexual or sometimes unisexual (male and female floweres on different plants), usually small. Sepals 4--12 (spiral or in 1-2 whorls), free or basally connate, persistent. Petals 4--12, forming a gamopetalous corolla, sometimes with appendages. Stamens in 1--3 whorls, often partly staminodial, if in 1 whorl, then opposite the petals. Disc, if present, free to partly fused with ovary. Ovary superior, 1--15(--30)-locular, style 1, stigma 1, entire or slightly lobed. Fruit a berry. Seeds mostly glossy, with a small to very large attachment scar.
General info
Distribution About 116 genera with c. 1100 species, widespread in (sub)tropical regions of the world. Ecology Usually canopy species in closed forests. Uses Timber (Palaquium spp.); Fruits (Manilkara zapota i.e., Sapodille); Latex (Palaquium gutta i.e., Guttapercha). Similar to Ebenaceae, but these have no white sap, no T-hairs. Primulaceae (former Myrsinaceae), but these differ in having dark dots on leaves and absence of stipules.
Family description
Trees or shrubs with usually white latex.Leavessimple, alternate, sometimes in two rows, rarely opposite, often crowded at twig tip, margin almost always entire; leaves with T-hairs or glabrous, giving lower leaf surface a silvery to golden shine. Stipules often present.
Inflorescences usually glomerulate, axillary or cauliflorous.
Flowers radially symmetric, bisexual or sometimes unisexual (male and female floweres on different plants), usually small. Sepals 4--12 (spiral or in 1-2 whorls), free or basally connate, persistent. Petals 4--12, forming a gamopetalous corolla, sometimes with appendages. Stamens in 1--3 whorls, often partly staminodial, if in 1 whorl, then opposite the petals. Disc, if present, free to partly fused with ovary. Ovary superior, 1--15(--30)-locular, style 1, stigma 1, entire or slightly lobed.
Fruit a berry. Seeds mostly glossy, with a small to very large attachment scar.
General info
Distribution About 116 genera with c. 1100 species, widespread in (sub)tropical regions of the world.Ecology Usually canopy species in closed forests.
Uses Timber (Palaquium spp.); Fruits (Manilkara zapota i.e., Sapodille); Latex (Palaquium gutta i.e., Guttapercha).
Similar to Ebenaceae, but these have no white sap, no T-hairs. Primulaceae (former Myrsinaceae), but these differ in having dark dots on leaves and absence of stipules.
Treated genera
Sapotaceae.pdf
Chrysophyllum cainito
Eberhardtia tonkinense
Madhuca kingiana
Sarcosperma paniculatum